Before I retired I worked with computers. I had several jobs ranging from being a simple (or not so simple) programmer through being a project manager and finally a systems manager.Working with computers is not something strange to me. But I must confess that since I retired I have not really written any programs of any kind. Now that I have a 3D printer, birthday present from my children, that is about to change. I am about to be dragged, kicking and screaming, back into the wold of Hi-Tech.
I knew this would happen when I opened the box. 3D printers require special programs in order to function. You cannot just take a three dimensional design created using some commercial Computer Assisyed Design (CAD) package. In any case, I don’t even have one of those. No, The CAD design has to go through two additional steps before it can be printed. It must be processed by a “slicer” program that cuts the entire design into very thin layers.Then the layers must be converted into instructions for the printer in a programming language called Gcode. You probably guessed that I also don’t have either of those items. That meant that before I could play with my new toy I had to find solutions for the steps needed to provide instructions dealing with how it was to behave. I needed a CAD package, A “slicer”, and way of converting the layers to Gcode. Having never programmed in Gcode before, that meant another stage of preparation would be to learn Gcode.
There was also one more preliminary step to take before dealing with programs or packages for those steps. Where would the new printer live? My wife helped me select a new computer table. We bought one, and I spent a couple of days putting it together. Then I went on-line and read several blurbs, articles, advertisements, etc. about all the stages I would need to go through. I selected a CAD program (Free), a slicer program (also free) and a primer listing and explaining all the commands in Gcode (and that was free, too). Now I have to spend some time learning all I well need to know about those things. Looks like they really found a way to keep me out of trouble for a while.
Wetherhorn 